The present invention relates to a mobile image-based retrieval system, and more particularly, to a system including a mobile phone with a built-in camera for use in image-based searching.
Mobile phones having a camera are proliferating at a rapid pace. Driven through the low cost of cameras, the percentage of camera phones of all mobile phones is rapidly increasing as well. The expectation is that in a few years, on the order of one billion mobile handsets with cameras will be in use worldwide.
Accordingly, there exists a need for more effective use of the facilities provided by a mobile camera phone. The present invention satisfies this need.